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The Legend Of Zelda: A Sages Fate
Chapter 1: A Memory of Him
The morning sun was bright as Saria, the green haired Korkiri girl, glanced up at the sky.
"Another perfect day," she groaned as she trudged off in the direction of the woods.
Now, one might ask why the early morning light would bother a charming little girl such as herself, who probably had nothing better to do than run around and tier herself out all day. There was so much more to Saria than that.
For the past five years being a Korkiri had just about killed her spirit. The Hyrulian race seemed to taunt her from a far as the days went by and there was truly nothing that our friend could do about it. But some may be curious as to who these Hyrulians and Korkiri were and why might they torment such a sweet, innocent girl. Just how was it that they were tormenting her to begin with?
Hyrulians were the dominant race of the kingdom of Hyrule. They resemble humans of today except had long elf-like ears.
In a word, you might call Korkiri elves for they too had long ears. However, there was a curse that lived among them all. A burden if you will. They could never age over ten years old. Sure, they could live as long as the average human, or in this case Hyrulian, but they would always look like mere children. Not even teenagers. And what's more, that's about as fare as their brains would develop either. Except for Saria. No. She was the appointed sage of the forest and could there for help the sacred council make decisions to affect Hyrule. It was her birth- right. But this did not give Saria the right to travel away from the forest and live her life elsewhere. She too was to stay with the Korkiri and live just as they hade for the past hundred years. However, Saria longed for more than a safe home in the forest. What Saria longed for was some thing that she could never have- and that was the freedom to age. If there ever was a solution to this problem Saria longed to know of it. But alas, there wasn't. So Saria felt that her life would be lived in jealousy and envy to the races around her who would grow properly, marry and die with the experiences of life always in their minds and in their hearts.
Saria loved the forest. She loved her friends, the animals and all of her surroundings. However her quest to age wasn't simply just to grow and mature. No. There was a catch. Saria had some one special that she was longing to impress. It happened to be a boy by the name of Link.
Link was Hyrule's "Hero of Time", for he had traveled through time to stop the evil Ganondorf from destroying the kingdom. But Saria didn't see only a hero in him, but her best friend in the entire world. All through out their childhood they had played together, shared secrets with each other and acted as close as brother and sister. But as Link, the Hyrulian grew older and eventually left the forest to save the land, their visits seemed to grow shorter each time they met. Saria felt bad for she didn't have much to talk about that was of interest. Link on the other hand, came back with stories of far off places and interesting people that Saria would have loved to meet. But no matter what, she couldn't.
And so over time, this lovely boy broke a promise to Saria, one that meant the world to her. He broke the promise of ever lasting friendship.
In the first ten, rather pathetic, years of Link's life, the only friend he ever had was Saria. Sweet Saria had immediately befriended Link the night he had been abandoned by his dying mother in the Lost Woods. Late one evening, when Saria was only about three or four, she heard a young voice hollering from the woods.
" Hello! Is there any body out there?" the voice cried. Curious, Saria tiptoed out of bed with her teddy bear and ventured out into the night. She climbed quietly and carefully up the ledge behind her cottage and found herself faced against a giant wall of vines. Her mind struggled over whether she should continue and climb the vines. It would be a high drop if she fell and no one would be able to help her, let alone see her in the dark, night sky. But that voice- she could hear the painful plead in what she identified as a young boy. Frightened, upset, worried.
"I can't just leave him in there like that. What if it where me out there? I would want some one to come and find me." So she started her climb up the fragile vines, not looking back in fear that the height might scare her out of the task.
It took an awful lot of determination for Saria to climb that night. Painful thorns pricked her soft, bare feet and ankles. She also had another problem to deal with- drowsiness. Whenever she could, Saria would stop and rest her eyes, just until she regained enough strength to continue upwards. Through all the pain Saria suffered, one thing pounded through her mind. " I better not be doing this for nothing!" Moments later, two light green eyes were peaking over the edge of the thorny wall and glancing around in search of another being. The same voice echoed calls for help, once again. Saria swung herself onto the landing and dashed off to the entrance of the Lost Woods.
As she entered through the doorway, Saria was instantly surrounded by glowing little fairies. They were so tiny they looked like mere fireflies that burned of a golden, yellow color. This reminded Saria of how she had left her own fairy at home.
In front of her, Saria found a large, darkened tunnel that lead to the next chamber of the forest. She found the same option to her left and to her right.
"Maybe I should just wait for the voice again," she started. Coincidently, she heard yet another cry for assistance. Saria wanted to yell, I'm coming, but thought better as this might be a trap. The voice trailed away from her right, thus she entered that door. This area had a large drop off a few yards away from the doorway. The perfect place to fall and hurt yourself. Bracing herself for what she might find and squeezing her teddy bear with fear, Saria peered over the edge of the cliff. She was relieved to find nothing-unusual waiting for her at the bottom. Suddenly, she heard a loud, sob- like cough coming from the room to her left. Quickly, she fled to the next area. However, as with the last, no human beings where found in the area she had entered. She acknowledged an old looking door way blocked by heavy boulders but she really didn't have time to examine the threshold up close. Saria stood still in the center of the room for a moment. She listened carefully as a quiet sobbing noise whispered its way into her ear. Tightening her grip on her teddy bear, Saria crept silently into the next chamber of the forest. What she saw next frightened her.
Curled up in a ball by the edge of a deep, clear pond was a little boy about Saria's own age. The room was washed in bright, golden moonlight that made this part of the forest look as though it were early morning. Hovering and twirling gently around the boy where many small golden fairies, not unlike the ones that had greeted Saria when she entered the Lost Woods.
Saria stepped closer, hoping that she wouldn't scare the boy away. He continued sobbing softly to himself, not aware that Saria was approaching him. He buried his head in the soft, short grass and let his long, blonde bangs tumble over his elfin ears and childish face. As Saria continued creeping forth, she saw two blue eyes pierce through the sea of cascading blonde hair. Slowly, the boy rose to his knees and stared strait at Saria while rubbing tears from his eyes.
"Please," he quivered, "Please help me."
Saria slowly walked forward and knelt down inches away from him.
"Why are you crying?" she asked softly.
" My mom," he began, "We had to escape the war out side the forest. Mama got hurt. She said she wouldn't be able to take care of me any more and so she brought me here. She kissed me and said that the forest guardian would take care of me and that I shouldn't cry. Then she left and didn't come back.
Saria had heard from the forest guardian that out side of the sacred Korkiri Forest, a terrible war was going on between the Hyrulians and Gerudos from the western desert of Hyrule. The forest children where supposed to beware of strangers. There was no known way for any outsiders to get in so, those who entered might be enemies. But if that was true, how could this boy and his mother have gotten here? Where was his mother now? One thing that Saria understood about this situation though, was that the boy was alone and innocent. She could sense his fear and the truth to his story.
"I'm sorry," she whispered to the youth. "I don't think she will be coming."
The boy hung his head down and Saria regretted saying that.
"Then I'm all alone," said the boy as tears began to fill his eyes again.
"No, you're not alone. I'll be your friend. You can come live in the forest village with me and the other Korkiri."
"Mommy and Daddy used to tell me stories about the Korkiries. About their fairies and how they got to be kids forever."
"That's right," approved Saria. "Lets go back to the village and in the morning I'll take you to visit the forest guardian. He'll know just what to do!"
"Okay," said the boy as he prepared to rise. "Um, what's your name, please?" asked the boy as he tried to remember his manners.
"I'm Saria, will you tell me your name please?"
"Link," answered the boy. "It's a silly name, isn't it?"
"Not at all," said Saria with a smile.
Together the two started their trip back to the village.
But that had been nearly thirteen years ago. Saria did not feel the same joy in that memory as she used to. Perhaps because Link no longer lived there with Saria. It could have easily been that. But deep down Saria thought that it was jealousy that made her so upset whenever she remembered that night.
"I wonder where he's going today?" pondered Saria as she let the sun warm her face. She quickly climbed up the once high ledge behind her tiny cottage. Once again faced with vines, Saria easily climbed up the now thorn-less wall. Humming a song that she made up on her own years ago, trying to cheer herself up, Saria walked slowly up the hill that lead to the Lost Woods. She wished that a thunderstorm or even a summer shower would sweep through her small village. But it was early November and there was not a cloud in the sky. Saria just didn't think it was fair that she was depressed while the rest of the world was happy.
She entered the woods as she did every day; a little bored but a little excited because she always hoped to find something new. The sun that was slowly rising behind her cast a golden glow upon the whole forest. Tops of trees, tips of leafs and even bark on trunks showed a golden orange color. As a crisp wind blew from the doorway in front of her, she could hear the lovely sound of leafs rustling and chimes faintly blowing. She remembered the day that Link had helped her hang wind chimes in every chamber of the forest. They made such a beautiful sound, a sound that had always reminded Saria of magic. She loved the way that they never played the same song twice. However, every time she heard them play, it was like hearing the same familiar ballad over again. Saria sighed deeply. For once that morning she felt peaceful.
By the time Saria had reached the Sacred Forest Meadow, (her secret spot in the Lost Woods) the sun had brightened up and became its usual, blinding self. The forest turned back to its richer colors, the plant life no longer dripping with golden due but instead vibrant reds, oranges and browns.
Saria sat down on her favorite tree stump and relaxed for a moment. She had to admit that it was an especially nice day out and that it would wasteful just sit here and sulk. However the one thing that Saria wanted to do most was out of reach. That was to spend time with Link- without boring him this time. She had to do something surprising. Something adventurous that he would never expect her to do.
"It can't be to simple, but it can't be to dangerous either." Thought Saria. She looked up at the Forest Temple. It had been there long before the Korkiri Forest, which was why the stairs had crumbled away over the years. As she admired the beautiful carvings in the stone, a plan formulated in her head. She noticed a patch of thick vines that were snaking there way up the stonewall of the temple. It became obvious what Saria had to do. She would find some adventure in the Forest Temple and later invite Link over so she could explain her adventures to him!
"What a great plan," thought Saria as she began to climb the vines.
Note: Hey everyone! Do you like the story so far? Reviews are appreciated!